04-07-2025
Alliance Party Launches First Campaign In Over A Decade
Tom Roud, candidate for the revitalised Alliance Party, is launching his campaign for Christchurch City Council Friday 4 July with a fundraising event at local venue Space Academy, starting 7.30pm.
The Alliance Party announced its return to active electioneering in early June to endorse Tom Roud for Christchurch City Council. Alliance Party President Victor Billot says 'Tom, along with other younger people, saw the Alliance as a good fit for the politics they wanted to see in action and we agreed.'
Mr Billot will be speaking at the launch event., 'we are very happy to have such a high quality candidate who is promoting the Alliance's ambitious social democratic alternative, tailored for local government," he said.
Mr Roud, a librarian who plays in a local band in his spare time, says his guiding principle is an egalitarian politics that works for working people.
'We don't hear enough from working people and their families. To be a great place to live, Christchurch has to be a great place for everyone to live. Good jobs, affordable housing, no asset sales along with the expansion of public assets, and public spending that improves the lives of ordinary Kiwis.'
Mr Roud said he is providing an aspirational alternative that would motivate voters, including increasing the turnout of younger voters and renters.
'This ward is almost 70% renters, and the community here is considerably younger than the city average. Young workers living in the city centre deserve strong representation', he says.
His campaign launch, set for the same day nominations open, includes performances from high profile Christchurch acts Pickle Darling, This Dog, and The Eastern. 'Christchurch can become a cultural powerhouse for live music, and that's part of what motivated my campaign. I am grateful to have amazing local talent playing at my campaign launch', he says.
